Brass Brazing: Please Help!

[Mastah Kyler]

So i picked up a pencil torch, brass, solder, and flux. in an attempt to have a whack at brazing, WTF AM I DOING WRONG?!?!?!?!? I watched many tutorials. I tack everything down where i want it, round off the joints, sand it a little, add flux, light the torch, heat for a few seconds, apply solder. Only thing is the solder is not seeping through the joint :???::x

 

[malofish]

I have never! Ever!!!! Been able to do this.....ive asked for tips and hints....tricks and how too's and i still havent had luck! Hopefully you can get the hang of it!

 

[tink-tink]

Do like the guys that build slot cars. Use a soldering iron, flux both prices touch your iron to solder, using a flat tip, and run it across the joint... Do a search for slot car dragsters there's a few lil how to's..if that's all it takes for a 50mph 32nd scale slot car it should work for these little crawlers

Side note- slot cars don't use screws on the motor the use the same technique to solder the motor directly to the chassis and they use our same big block motors

 

[Mastah Kyler]

i bought this torch so i can braze though. hell i can barley solder connectors on with my shitty $5 solder iron

 

[reddevildemo]

Correct solder, correct flux, clean parts well, heat the parts not the solder, that's really all there is to it for brass.

 

[spoo76]

Only thing is the solder is not seeping through the joint :???::x

Try more heat?

 

[Mastah Kyler]

Try more heat?

the solder will just ball up and sit right on top of the joint. i tried applying heat to that and nada

 

[hbj069]

not getting hot enough, cherry red and the flux should almost disappear, then barely touch the solder to the joint with heat still applied, if everything is right it should suck itself into the joint.

 

[Postclanker]

I'm no pro at this but you have to heat both metals until they glow red...and only then do you apply the solder. Other question I would ask is what kind of solder are you using for Brass?

 

[TheScaleAddict]

Get a track power tk950. You can control the temp up to 950 degrees. The solder flows sooooo smoothly into the joints. You can do VERY small areas, and be VERY precise. It's a worthwhile investment. I use mine all the time. Check out the revved shackles I'm building for the brass arse. The are smaller than my smallest fingernail...


www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051VD82U/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1350522930&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

 

[ecoli]

May seem like overkill, but a MAPP torch and silver solder work fine on brass. I've built tubers out of thin walled brass tubing using this and no problem. I also suck at soldering, but brazing is no problem. Go figure.

 

[MGCrawler]

Like has been stated above... Lots of heat, hold that torch to it until either you run out of butane or the brass incinerates. If it dont work you'll need a hotter flame, and do more than a "little sanding" Make sure that the two pieces your trying to join look almost like gold. IE... very well sanded. Also I use an 8 dollar micro torch for most of my soldering and use a Weller W100P for the ironing:lol:

 

[spoo76]

the solder will just ball up and sit right on top of the joint. i tried applying heat to that and nada

As said by others, heat the metal not the solder. you melt the solder with the heat from the brass not the flame or heat source. when done right everything will just melt together and solder will seem to suck into the joints smoothly.
Ive done the same for years with copper pipe and electrical wire "thumbsup"
also i like to heat the bigger thicker gauge metal first then work on the smaller part so you dont risk burning the part.

 

[MGCrawler]

also i like to heat the bigger thicker gauge metal first then work on the smaller part so you dont risk burning the part.

"thumbsup" Good one! Thats pretty important also.

 

[hillbilly76]

hey there master kyler what flux are you using,if its a non acid core flux that might be apart of the problem.ive read a few dislikes to this stuff from a forum that builds steam engines.personally i use an acid flux and find that this works best.heres a link to how to solder brass that i made awhile ago hope this helps.

HOW TO SOLDER BRASS - YouTube

 

[Mastah Kyler]

Thanks hillbilly/mudslinger ;-) but heating the brass and not the solder was what i was missing. your tutorial was actually my go to video "thumbsup" but here is my set up this was the only flux they had at home depot but i will go to my LHS and see if they have any acid flux

and here is what i accomplished. its the start of a micro RTI ramp. im sure most of you know what an RTI ramp is seeing how we all crawl here ;-)

 

[boisetrucker]

To the op I have that same torch and I personally don't think it gets hot enough to use. Thanks for the video link.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

 

[hillbilly76]

lookin good mastah kyler.glad i could help.

 

[Mastah Kyler]

thanks everyone! i will finish the RTI tomorrow @boisetrucker yes it is cheap and not very hot but i did get it to work

 

[spoo76]

Acid core solder IS best for brass but typical rosin core for electronics seems to work for a most on here. I wonder if there is a benifit to switching to acid core on these small parts. Maybe easier? I don't see it as being worse anyway.